A  PUBLIC  BUILDING  GROUP 
PLAN  FOR  ST.  LOUIS 


THE  CJl^Y  PLAN  COMMISSION 
'    ST.  LOUIS,  MISSOURI 


A  PUBLIC  BUILDING  GROUP 
PLAN  FOR  ST.  LOUIS 


THE  CITY  PLAN  COMMISSION 
ST.  LOUIS,   MISSOURI 

Bureau  of  Governmenfal  Research 

Libra.-y  46 

(-'n'versity  of  California 

Los  Angeles  24,  California 

HARLAND    BARTHOLOMEW 

ENGINEER 


APR  13  1951 


NIXON  JONES    PRINTING    CO 

ST.  LOUIS,  MO. 

1919 


OFFICE  OF 

THE  CITY  PLAN  COMMISSION 

OF  ST.  LOUIS,  MO. 

September  10,  1919. 

To  THE  Honorable  Board  of  Public  Service, 

St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Gentlemen  :  The  City  Plan  Commission  lias  the  honor  to 
transmit  herewith  a  report  on  improving  one  aspect  of  the  city's 
appearance — the  grouping  of  public  buildings.  The  plan  here- 
with presented  is  offered  chiefly  by  way  of  suggestion.  It  offers 
a  practical  method  of  locating  future  public  buildings  and  need 
not  necessarily  be  hastily  attempted.  In  detail  of  design  the 
plan  will  require  much  study  once  a  decision  to  create  the  group 
has  been  made. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

Ernest  J.  Russell, 

Chairman. 
A.  S.  Langsdorf, 

Vice  Chairman. 
j.  a.  ockerson. 
Chas.  E.  Golterman. 
W.  F.  Carter. 
E.  D.  Smith. 
W.  II.  Frciis. 
Clarence  H.  Howard. 

E.  R.  Kinsev, 
President  Board  of  I'ldilir  Sprrire. 
Loi'is  P.  Aloe, 
President  Hoard  of  Aldermen. 

C.    M.    Ta I.BERT, 

Director  Stmts  and  Siuurs. 
J.  N.  McKelvev, 

Director  Pii}>li(    Safcti/. 
Nelson  Cunlifk, 
Connnissiom  r  I'arl.s  and  Recreation. 

II AULA  M)    l!AI;rilii|.i  iMlCW, 

Knf/iiieer. 

Frank   K.  Lawhknci:,  .Ik., 

Secretary. 


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A  PUBLIC  BUILDING  GROUP  PLAN 
FOR  ST.  LOUIS 

Utility  and  lack  of  proper  regard  foi-  appearances  have  been  conspicuous 
characteristics  of  American  cities,  but  in  recent  years  public  opinion  has  mani- 
fested a  decided  reaction  against  the  distasteful,  monotonous,  and  careless 
manner  in  which  our  streets,  public  buildings,  and  public  open  spaces  have 
been  treated.  Plans  for  improved  appearances  of  Avaterfronts,  for  grouping  of 
public  buildings,  and  for  sti'cet  treatment  have  made  their  appeai-ance  in  many 
of  the  large  as  well  as  the  smaller  cities.  We  have  become  conscious  of  the 
need  for  a  means  of  expressing  ourselves  in  our  every-day  environment  in  a 
manner  that  shall  reflect  something  besides  the  commercial  spii'it  that  has  so 
greatly  absorbed  our  attention. 

In  the  improvement  of  the  city's  appearance  we  should  not  and  will  noL 
blindly  follow  the  lead  of  European  cities,  though  we  may  well  profit  by  the 
beauty,  the  harmony,  the  spaciousness,  and  the  architectural  splendor  of  the 
many  examples  they  afford  us.  American  cities  should  develop  a  form  of 
civic  art  that  is  truly  national,  that  in  originality  may  typify  the  spirit  of  the 
pioneer,  that  in  simplicity  rather  than  in  ornateness  of  design  may  represent 
the  spirit  of  democracy,  and  that  in  strength  and  dignity  of  composition  may 
envisage  the  faith  and  confidence  that  is  America's. 

Public  buildings  are  the  outward  maiufestation  of  civic  spii'it.  They 
afford  one  of  the  best  opportunities  for  a  municipality  to  give  expression  to 
its  aspirations  and  ideals.  It  is  for  this  I'cason  that  large  buildings  should  be 
well  designed  and  given  a  proper  setting.  It  has  been  customary  lor  the 
Federal  government  and  foi'  State  govei-nnu'nts  to  pay  more  attention  to  the 
setting  and  design  of  large  public  buildings  than  uu)st  cities  have  done.  Thin 
has  been  due  in  part  to  the  fact  that  State  and  Federal  liuildings  are  larger  and 
more  money  has  been  available  for  them. 

The  character  of  oui'  cities  is  becoming  increasingly  an  index  ol'  the  state 
of  otu'  national  civilization.  In  the  nnitter  of  jiublic  buildings,  therefore,  as 
well  as  in  other  forms  of  municipal  woi'k,  it  bchooxes  the  cily  to  so  plan  and 
design  its  public  structures  that  these  may  faithfully  and  fittingly  dejiict  the 
civic  spirit. 

What  more  logical  suggestion  could  therefore  be  made  liian  1hat,  in  view 
of  the  larger  structures  to  be  built,  and  lor  which  large  appi'oi)riati()iis  w  ill  he 
made,  the  cities  locate  theii'  vai'ious  jiublic  buildings  in  one  or  moie  groni^s, 
thus  presenting  in  the  aggregate  an  appeai-ance  nuich  more  satisfying  and 
beautiful  than  can  be  obtained  by  a  single  large  building  or  by  a  luunber  of 
smaller  buildings  miscellaneously  located?  A  public-building  group  plan  has 
many  advantages.  It  affords,  first  of  all,  an  opportunity  for  the  convenient 
conduct  of  public  business  by  bringing  all  public  buildings  togethei'  at  a  com- 
mon center.  It  provides  unlimited  possibilities  in  the  way  of  architectural 
treatment  by  making  it  possible  to  adopt  a  harmonious  ])ian.  It  alTords  to  each 
structure  a  more  splendid  and  proper  setting  than  would  be  possible  were  the 

(5) 


CITY  PLAN  COiSIMISSIOX. 


biiildiiifis  separately  loeated  in  different  parts  of  the  city.  In  some  respects  a 
public-building  group  plan  or  a  "civic  center,"  as  it  is  sometimes  termed,  has 
a  commercial  value  through  its  being  a  medium  of  good  municipal  advertising. 
A  group  plan  or  civic  center  should  present  so  satisfying  and  so  splendid  an 
appearance  as  to  make  it  one  of  the  particular  points  of  interest  in  the  city  and 
a  thing  once  seen,  forever  to  be  remembered.  For  this  reason  a  civic  center 
should  be  what  might  be  termed  the  climax  of  the  physical  structure  of  the 
city.  It  should  be  located  at  the  converging  point  of  the  principal  lines  of 
traffic  and  thus  become  in  fact  as  well  as  in  fancy  the  veritable  heart  of  the  city. 
Several  new  public  l>uildings  are  needed  in  St.  Louis.  Within  the  next  few 
years  there  will  probably  be  built  a  Alunicipal  Auditorium  and  Conuiiunity 
Center  Building  (for  which  a  fund  has  been  provided  in  the  proposed  bond 
issue),  a  new  Court  House,  and  a  further  extension  of  the  municipal  offices, 
which  may  possibly  assume  the  form  of  a  Hall  of  Records.  In  addition  to  these 
buildings  a  new  Federal  Building  is  needed,  for  M'hich  a  site  has  been  acquired 
and  a  portion  of  the  cost  provided  for.  It  is  also  within  the  realm  of  possi 
bility  that  a  building  will  be  ei-ected  by  the  State  for  the  accommodation  of 
State  offices  in  this  city  and  immediate  vicinity. 

The  Proposed  Public  Building  Group  Plan. 

The  plan  for  a  proposed  municipal  building  group  in  St.  Louis  presented 
herewith  has  been  the  result  of  many  months  of  study  upon  the  part  of  the 
City  Plan  Commission,  and  is  by  this  Commission  believed  to  offer  more  possi- 
Inlities  than  any  other  one  of  the  innumerable  schemes  that  have  been  devised. 
It  has  the  advantage  of  being  located  on  what  will  become  the  two  principal 
traffic  routes  of  St.  Louis — Twelfth  street  and  Olive  street — assuming  that  the 
various  proposals  for  widening  and  extending  these  two  thoroughfares  are 
carried  to  completion.  Furthermore,  three  of  the  nine  buildings  in  the  group 
already  exist — the  City  Hall,  Municipal  Courts  Building,  and  the  Public 
Librar.y.  To  the  rear  of  the  ]Municipal  Courts  Building  are  now  located  the 
Jail  and  Children's  Building.  In  principle,  the  plan  proposes  the  creation  of 
a  mall  between  the  Municipal  Courts  Building  and  Public  Library  by  con- 
demning the  property  and  razing  all  the  buildings  in  the  three  blocks  bounded 
by  Fourteenth  street,  Market  street.  Thirteenth  street,  and  Olive  street.  The 
new  buildings  which  would  then  become  a  part  of  the  group  plan  would  be 
located  on  the  blocks  facing  the  mall  thus  created.  From  the  plan  it  will  be 
seen  that  the  Municipal  Auditorium  and  Community  Center  Building  could  be 
located  on  the  block  bounded  by  Fourteenth,  Market,  Fifteenth,  and  Clark 
avenue  immediately  west  of  the  ^lunieipal  Courts  Building.  The  proposed 
new  Court  House,  Hall  of  Records,  Federal  Building,  and  State  Building  could 
then  be  located  to  the  east  or  west  of  the  mall,  occupying  the  blocks  between 
Market  and  Olive  streets  and  fronting  on  Thirteenth  and  Fourteenth  streets. 
It  will  be  noticed  from  the  plan  that  the  buildings  on  the  east  side  of  the  mail 
between  Pine  and  Olive  streets  occupy  only  so  much  of  these  two  blocks  as  lies 
between  Thirteenth  street  and  the  alley. 

This  plan  would  not  destroy  the  effectiveness,  nor  the  appearance,  of  the 
public-building  group  plan,  whose  central  axis  is  between  the  Public  Librarv 


riBMC  BriLDlN(!  CROUP  PLAN. 


and  the  Municipal  Courts  Buildin-j:,  and  not  on  Twell'th  sti'eet,  assuming  that 
the  city  is  able  to  control  the  character  of  the  huildinjrs  that  might  be  erected 
on  the  Twelfth  sliect  fmat  in  these  two  blocks.  Tnless  the  city  can  control 
the  commer- 
cial s  t  r  u  c  - 
tui'cs  front- 
ing Twelfth 
street  so  that 
in  height  aiHl 
design  they 
will  not  be 
out  of  har- 
monv    w  i  t  h 


rrc'sciil  t-itj   II;ill  and   Municipal  CHUrls  Buildinc.  localfd  with  the  hope  that  they  would 
furni  a  nucleus  for  the  Krouplng  of  future  public  buildings. 


the  public 
buildings 
in  the  group 
plan,  the 
Commission 
reconi  mends 
that  the 
Twelfth 
street  front- 
age be  ac- 
<iuired.       It 

would  be  foolhardy  to  spend  many  millions  of  dollars  for  these  large  public 
buildings  and  their  sites  and  not  control  their  .surroundings.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  public-building  group  plan  has  nothing  in  common  with  Twelfth 
street.  Twelfth  street  will  always  be  a  coiiiinereial  thoroughfare,  and  as  such 
.should  not  be  in  part  used  for  public-building  purposes.  Tf  public  buildings 
are  to  be  placed  an  Twelfth  street,  they  should  be  located  on  both  sides  of  thai 
thoroughfare,  using  the  center  line  of  Twelfth  sti-eet  as  an  axis.  Studies  of 
possible  groupings,  using  Twelfth  street  as  an  axis,  have  been  found  imprac- 
ticable, both  in  point  of  design  and  cost.  Probably  the  only  satisfactory  way 
through  which  the  city  might  be  able  to  control  buildings  occupying  frontage 
on  the  two  blocks  between  Olive  and  Chestnut  streets  woiUd  be  through  the 
use  of  the  power  of  excess  condemnation.  Authority  foi-  voting  on  a  constitu- 
tional amendment  permitting  the  exercise  of  the  power  of  excess  condemnation 
has  been  denied  St.  Louis  and  other  cities  of  the  State  by  the  Legislature  at  its 
last  two  sessions. 

In  order,  therefore,  to  insure  absolute  conlidl  by  the  city  of  the  west  side 
of  Tuelfth  street  and  the  east  side  of  Fifteenth  street,  both  between  Olive  and 
Chestnut  streets,  it  will  be  necessary  that  the  city  acquire  these  sites  by  con- 
demnation at  the  same  time  all  the  other  ground  is  so  acquired.  When,  or  if, 
the  right  of  excess  condemnation,  or  other  needed  power,  is  then  acquired  by 
the  city,  these  sites  may  be  dispo.sed  of,  if  still  thought  desirable,  with  such 
restrictions  as  to  height,  character,  and  use  of  buildings  to  be  erected  thereon 
as  w  ill  insure  the  harmony  of  the  entire  group  contemplated  in  this  plan.     The 


^ 


Bird's-eye  view  s 


howing  proposed  Public  Buildintis  Group  l>lan.     rreseut  City  Hall  upper  left,  present  Public  Llbrar; 


n 


rj  ver  center, 


union  Station  upper  right,  and  proposed  Municipal  Auditorium  and  Convonli..n   Hall  upper  center. 


10 


CITY  PLAN  COMMISSION. 


same  condition  applies  to  the  western  halt'  of  the  two  l)locks  between  ("hestnut 
street  and  Olive  street  and  west  of  Fourteenth  street.  l''i-oiii  the  ])\;\n,  also,  it 
will  be  noticed  that  the  block  hounded  l).v  Mai'ket,  Twellth,  ('hestnut,  and 
Thirteenth  sti-eets  has  been  left  free  of  buildings.  This  was  done  to  att'ord  an 
east  and  west  vista  which  would  be  fully  as  desirable  from  Twelfth  street  as 
the  north  and  south  vista  that  would  be  seen  fi'oni  either  Olive  or  Market 
streets.  The  propei-  architectui'al  and  landscape  treatment  of  the  bh)cks  con- 
stituting the  mall  should  produce  s])lendid  effects,  as  well  as  offering  unlimited 
opportunities  for  statues,  fountains,  or  other  iiienioi-ials. 


Group  Plan  Would  Help  Natural  Expansion  of  Business  District. 

An  apparent  criticism  of  the  present  plan  that  might  be  offei'cd  is  that  it 
would  bar  the  natural  westward  expansion  of  the  business  district,  while  the 
location  of  the  Court  House  and  Federal  Building  in  the  vicinity  of  Twelfth 
street  would  decrease  their  usefulness  by  renuiving  them  too  far  from  the 
present  center  of  the  business  district.  It  is  a  generally  accepted  fact  that 
public  buildings  rarely  produce  an  a])pi'eciation  of  property  values  in  their 
innnediate  locality.  It  has  more  often  been  the  experience  in  other  cities  that 
jniblic   buildings   foi-   one   reason   or  another   usually   produce    unsatisfactory 

surroinidings 
and  reduce 
lather  than 
increase  the 
value  of  sur- 
rounding 
property  for 
commercial 
p  u  r  p  0  s  e  s. 
While  there 
m  ay  be  no 
j  u  s  t  i  fi  c  ation 
for  expecting 
an  opposite 
cft'ect  in  St. 
Louis,  it  is 
nevertheless 
iiclic\ed  that 
the  creation 
of  the  public 
building 
group   plan 

here  proposed  would  result  in  an  appreciation  of  projunty  values  and  in  sub- 
stantial improvements  on  a  large  scale  in  the  innnediate  vicinity.  Tiiis  as- 
sumption is  warranted  partly  by  reason  of  the  fact  that  the  pi-operty  in  the 
immediate  neighborhood  of  the  proposed  public-building  group  is  in  an  exceed- 
ingly run-down  condition,  and  that  the  presence  of  an  imposing  group  of  build- 


VifW  lonkin;:  north  from  .Municipal  Courts  Building;,  with  Public  I.ibrar.v  in  the  back- 
liround.  This  is  tile  site  of  the  contemplated  mall.  It  is  proposed  to  remove  the 
present  unsi{:h11>'  buildini^s  and  to  develop  the  properI.v  Into  a  formal  garden  in  order 
to  more  properly  express  the  dignity  and  importance  of  the  city. 


12  CITY  PLAN  COMMISSION. 

ings  affording  splendid  opportunities  for  light  and  air  should  encourage  the 
building  of  hotels  and  other  similar  structures,  not  only  in  this  inunediate  local- 
ity l)ut  extending  westwai-d  as  far  as  Eighteenth  street  and  the  Union  Station. 

Previous  studies  made  by  the  City  Plan  Commission  have  indicated  that 
the  expansion  of  the  business  district,  particularly  the  commercial  section,  is 
destined  to  proceed  westwardlj'  betM"een  Olive  street  and  Franklin  avenue, 
inasmuch  as  the  pieponderance  of  vehicular  as  well  as  of  street-car  traffic 
enters  over  these  and  intermediate  thoroughfares.  The  public-building  group 
plan  would  therefore  stimulate  and  encourage  a  high  character  of  building 
development  in  a  district  whei-e  it  might  otherwise  not  be  expected,  and  result 
in  a  higher  value  than  could  otherwise  be  expected,  thus  creating  a  well- 
balanced  westward  expansion  of  the  business  district. 

St.  Louis  is  growing  rapidly.  As  the  city  grows  the  business  district 
must  expand.  Twelfth  street  will  inevitably  become  the  central  thoroughfare 
of  the  business  district.  This  by  no  means  will  cause  the  depreciation  or  ces- 
sation of  the  present  activities  in  the  eastern  section  of  the  business  district. 
It  simply  means  that  St.  Louis  must  plan  for  an  enlarged  business  district  com- 
mensurate with  the  growth  of  the  city.  The  public-building  group  plan  will 
then  be  actually  at  the  heart  of  the  city's  activities. 

Mention  has  already  been  made  of  the  poor  condition  of  property  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  present  Municipal  Buildings.  Several  plans  have  been  proposed 
which  would  clear  out  and  rehabilitate  some  of  the  property  west  of  Twelfth 
street  and  lying  between  Olive  and  ilarket  streets.  It  is  believed  that  the 
public-building  group  plan  proposed  would  do  this  more  successfully  than  any 
plan  heretofore  devised.  Certainly  the  poor  character  of  the  majority  of 
buildings  between  Twelfth,  Eighteenth,  Market,  and  Olive  streets  is  not  merely 
a  discredit  to  the  city  of  St.  Louis  and  an  unpleasant  daily  reminder  of  the 
necessity  for  rehabilitation,  but  the  present  condition  of  this  property  repre- 
sents a  tremendous  actual  monetary  loss  to  the  city  in  the  form  of  diminishing 
tax  returns,  which  would  be  entirely  overcome  by  the  adoption  and  execution 
of  the  public-building  group  plan. 

The  Location  of  the  Municipal  Auditorium  and  Community  Center  Building. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  one  of  the  first  public  buildings  to  be  ])uilt  will  be 
the  Municipal  Auditorium  and  Community  Center  Building,  assuming  that 
the  projjosed  munici])al  bond  issue  is  favorably  acted  upon  in  the  election  of 
November  next,  the  (juestion  of  the  location  of  this  building  has  been  the  object 
of  serious  consideration  by  the  City  Plan  Conunission.  The  size  and  character 
of  this  building  is  such  that  it  could  not  be  erected  on  the  average  city  block. 
In  fact,  our  studies  have  indicated  that  there  ai'c  but  two  or  three  locations 
where  this  building  could  l)e  satisfactorily  constructed.  Our  attention  was  first 
directed  to  the  l)lock  liounded  by  Twelfth,  Chestnut,  Eleventh,  and  Market 
streets,  in  which  block  the  city  oAvns  a  considerable  proportion  of  the  property ; 
but  this  block  was  found  to  be  entirely  inadequate  in  size.  Later  our  attention 
was  directed  to  the  two  blocks  bounded  by  Twelfth  street,  ISIarket  .street,  Elev- 
enth street,  and  Clark  avenue  as  a  prospective  site  for  the  Municipal  Audi- 


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14  CITY  PLAN  COMMISSION. 


torium  and  Community  Center  Building.  This  would  involve  the  closing  of 
Walnut  .street  between  Eleventh  and  Twelfth.  While  it  would  afford  a  plot  of 
sufficient  size  for  the  building,  the  ground  is  expensive  and  it  was  deemed 
undesirable  to  have  a  building  of  this  character  on  one  of  the  principal  thor- 
oughfares of  the  city,  since  its  use  by  tremendous  crowds  of  people  would  bring 
about  a  congestion  of  traffic  on  both  Twelfth  and  Market  streets,  where  traffic 
congestion  would  not  be  a  desirable  feature.  Our  final  conclusion  is  that  the 
best  location  for  the  Municipal  Auditorium  and  Community  Center  Building  is 
the  block  bounded  by  Fourteenth,  Market,  Fifteenth  streets  and  Clark  avenue, 
possibly  omitting  the  acquisition  of  the  rear  of  the  block  on  Clark  avenue. 
This  is  one  of  the  largest  blocks  in  the  downtown  section  of  the  city.  It  is  not 
too  far  removed  from  the  hotels  and  business  district.  It  has  the  advantage  of 
being  adjacent  to  most  of  the  principal  traffic  thoroughfares.  By  not  placing 
the  building  on  the  principal  trafficways,  opportunity  would  be  afforded  about 
the  entire  building  for  the  parking  of  automobiles  and  street  cars  to  accommo- 
date the  crowds  that  might  be  expected,  and  without  confusing  or  interfering 
with  the  usual  traffic  on  the  principal  traffic  7-outes.  This  site  also  has  the 
further  advantage  of  giving  an  imposing  location  for  the  Municipal  Auditorium 
and  Community  Center  Building  and  making  it  an  integral  part  of  the  proposed 
public-building  group  plan.  Furthermore,  the  value  of  the  ground  is  consider- 
ably less  than  in  any  other  location. 

The  Municipal  Auditorium  As  a  War  Memorial. 

It  has  been  suggested  that  the  Municipal  Auditorium  and  Community 
Center  Building  be  so  designed  and  built  as  to  constitute  the  city's  memorial  to 
those  who  served  and  died  in  the  great  war.  This  could  very  properly  and 
effectively  be  done.  Such  designs  of  the  building  as  have  been  made  have 
contemplated  this  feature,  although  it  is  not  essential  that  the  two  ideas  be 
combined.  St.  Louis  needs  a  Municipal  Auditorium  and  Community  Center 
Building,  and  needs  it  soon.  Regardless  of  whether  a  memorial  feature  is  com- 
bined with  it  or  not,  a  Municipal  Auditorium  should  be  built  and  so  designed  as 
to  combine  all  of  the  features  necessary  to  make  it  a  successful  building,  used 
continually  the  yeai-  round  in  order  to  make  it  a  satisfactory  investment  and 
to  justify  its  great  cost. 

The  Surroundings  of  Union  Station. 

St.  Louis  is  pi'oi)ably  criticized  more  because  of  the  surroundings  of  its 
Union  Station  than  for  any  other  reason.  The  necessity  for  improving  this 
ncighborliood  is  almost  unanimously  admitted.  As  a  suggestion  for  accom- 
plishing this  purpose  there  is  presented  herewith  an  alternative  plan  for  locat- 
ing the  Munici]ial  Auditorium  and  Community  Center  Building  opposite  the 
Union  Station,  occupying  the  two  blocks  hounded  by  Chestnut,  Eighteenth, 
Pine,  and  Twentieth  streets  and  opening  u])  as  a  plaza  the  two  intermediate 
blocks  hounded  by  Market,  Eighteenth,  Clu'stiiut,  and  Twentieth  streets.  This 
location  for  the  Municipal  AuditoiMum  and  Community  Center  Building  is  not 
deemed  as  dcsii'able  as  tlic  i)reviousIy  mentioned  location  immediately  west 


PUBLIC  BUILDING  GROUP  PLAN. 


15 


of  the  Municipal  Courts  Building  in  the  municipal-building  group  plan.  How- 
ever, it  opens  up  some  attractive  possibilities  which  should  receive  further 

sei'ious  con- 
sideration . 
It  is  possible 
that  a  suffi- 
cient number 
of  public 
buildings 
will  be  need- 
ed within  the 
next  few 
years  to  war- 
rant under- 
taking the 
municipal  - 
building 
group  plan. 
To  locate  the 
Municipal 
Auditorium 
and  Commu- 
nity Centei- 
Building 
near   Union 

Station  as  suggested  would  not  prevent  the  execution  of  the  gioup  plan  if 
undertaken.  Its  location  at  this  point,  howcvei',  does  not  afford  the  degree  of 
accessil)ilit\'  that  is  inhei'ent  in  the  previously  mentioned  site. 


The  view  in  front  of  t'nion  Station,  the  main  entrance  to  the  city,  the  ftr^t  impression 
received  by  our  vlaitors.     A  .spacious  plaza  is  sUKEested  as  a  sub-slitute. 


Conclusion. 

In  1904  a  Public  Buildings  Commi.ssion  was  appointed  to  study  the  location 
of  public  buildings  in  St.  Louis.  This  commission  presented  an  admirable 
report,  but  their  suggestions  were  not  followed.  The  occasion  for  their 
appointment  was  the  contemplated  erection  of  the  Municipal  Courts  Building 
Fortunately,  the  opportunity  for  a  public-buildings  group  plan  that  will  be  a 
credit  to  St.  Louis  is  still  open.  Now  that  other  structures  are  soon  to  be 
built  we  should  again  give  thought  to  the  (|uestion  of  the  best  design  and 
location  foi-  them,  so  that  whatever  is  done  may  not  be  in  continuation  of 
preceding  hai)-hazard  methods  of  our  city's  growth.  Even  though  if  may 
take  years  to  complete  a  public-building  group  i)lan  such  as  is  here  suggested, 
whatever  we  do  now  .should  be  done  in  the  .spirit  of  building  a  future  city  in 
accordance  with  some  definite  i)lan  that  will  be  truly  representative  of  our 
city,  our  citizenship,  and  enlightened  methods  of  city  building. 


\/'-%: 

,<:<;. 


